Monthly forecast of business for June 1997

The following Councils are scheduled:

• 2–3 June: General Affairs Council
• 5 June: Health Council
• 5 June: Development Council
• 9 June: Ecofin Council
• 10 June: General Affairs Council (tbc)
• 12 June: Social Affairs Council
• 16–17 June: European Council
• 17–18 June: Transport Council
• 19–20: Environment Council
• 23–25: Agriculture Council
• 26 June: Education Council
• 26 June: General Affairs Council
• 27 June: Energy Council
• 27 June: Telecommunications Council
• 30 June: Culture Council

The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

• June 2–3: General affairs council
• Approval of list of A points.
• EP Resolutions of 23–24 April and 12–16 May.
• Preparation of European Council in Amsterdam (Procedural Point).
• Trade issues:
• Council Declaration on market access for least developed countries.
• Leghold Traps.
• Racism and Xenophobia Monitoring Centre.
• Transatlantic Relations: Report on EU/US Summit.
• EU/Japan Summit (Information Point).
• EU/Hong Kong: After 1997: Council Conclusions.
• OCT Mid-Term Review.
• Former Yugoslavia.
• Albania.
• Middle East Peace Process (possible item).
• Any other business.
• June 5: Health council
• Adoption of the provisional agenda.
• Adoption of the list of A points.
• Communicable diseases network: common position.
• EU/US Task Force on communicable diseases.
• Draft Resolution on human organs and tissues.
• Draft Resolution on migrant doctors within the European Union.
• Draft Conclusions on health aspects of the drug problem.
• TSEs: orientation debate.
• Blood and blood products: follow-up to the Council Resolution of 12 November 1996.
• Commission Communication on combatting tobacco consumption: orientation debate.
• Commission proposals for programmes on rare diseases, pollution related diseases and accidents and injuries:
• presentation by the Commission.
• presentation by the Commission.
• Future framework for action public health: orientation debate.
• Any other business:
• Promotion of mental health (request by the Finnish Delegation).
• Health safety of medical equipment (request by the French delegation).
• June 5: Development Council
• EU/ACP relations:
• Future EU relations with the developing countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific;
• Democratisation, rule of law and human rights in the ACP countries;
• Commission communication on support for structural adjustment and debt relief in heavily indebted ACP countries.
• Conclusions on indigenous peoples (false B point).
• Follow-up to 1992 Horizon 2000 declaration:
• Resolution on coherence (false B point);
• Conclusions on operational coherence (false B point).
• Resolution on research and technological development in relation with the EU's development co-operation policy (false B point).
• Resolution on the Joint Evaluation of Programme Food Aid (A point).
• Conclusions on the Court of Auditors' report concerning the Humanitarian Aid of the European Union (A point).
• Proposal for a Council regulation on NGO co-financing: adoption of common position.
• Follow-up to Social Summit: Commission presentation.
• Any other business:
• Report on co-operation with Asia and Latin America (ALA) developing countries from 1991–95;
• Reform of the UN organisations in the economic and social spheres.
• Follow-up to Development Assistance Committee (DAC) on EC aid.
• June 9: ECOFIN Council
• Approval of the agenda.
• Approval of the list of A items.
• Preparation of stage III of EMU: Stability Pact, legal framework for the euro, resolution on ERM II.
• Implementation of Broad Economic Guidelines 1996.
• Draft Broad Economic Guidelines 1997.
• Euro Coins: technical characteristics and design.
• Interim report on Employment.
• Progress report on SEM 2000.
• Fraud: Commission work programme 1997–98, Fight against Fraud report 1996.
• Derogations on mineral oils excise duties.
• Preparation of Luxembourg Presidency.
• Preparation of Structured Dialogue with CEEC and Baltic Ministers.
• Any Other Business:
• Settlement Finality Directive.
• June 10: General Affairs Council
• Council not yet confirmed.
• June 12: Social Affairs Council
• Adoption of the agenda.
• Approval of the list of A points (possible item).
• Proposal for a Council Directive on the burden of proof in cases of discrimination based on sex.
• Proposal for a Council Directive on the protection of the health and safety of workers from the risks related to chemical agents at work.
• Interim 1997 joint report on employment for the Amsterdam European Council.
• Follow-up to the French memorandum on a European Social model.
• Commission communication on modernising and improving social protection in the European Union.
• Final report by the working party of experts on European systems of worker involvement (with regard to the European Company Statute and other pending proposals).
• Industrial restructuring and informing and consulting workers at community level.
• Social Dialogue.
• Any Other Business:
• Commission report on access to continuing training in the Union;
• Implementation of the European Social Fund Budget.
• June 16/17: European Council
• Agenda not yet available.
• June 17/18: Transport Council
• Directive on safety assessment of third country aircraft: political agreement.
• Air Traffic Management: debate and Council conclusions.
• European Aviation Safety Authority: debate and Council conclusions.
• Directive on Heavy Goods Vehicle taxation, charging and tolls: political agreement.
• Amending Regulation on tachographs: common position.
• Road telematics: Council conclusions.
• Trans-European Rail Freight Freeways: possible conclusions.
• Road safety: debate and conclusions.
• Amending Directive on Seafarer Training: common position.
• Directive on registration of ferry passengers: common position.
• Maritime external relations, including proposed mandates for negotiations with India and China: debate based on questionnaire.
• Short Sea Shipping: Council conclusions.
• Any other business:
• Duty Free Sales: statement by Finland;
• Week-end lorry bans: statement by Netherlands;
• EU/US Aviation negotiations: Commission Report;
• Aviation negotiations with Central and Eastern European Countries: Commission Report;
• TENs and public, private partnerships: Commission Report.
• June 19/20: Environment Council
• Agenda not yet available.
• June 23–25: Agriculture Council}
• Agricultural price fixing.
• Arable penalties.
• EU/Czech veterinary equivalence agreement (possible item).
• EU/US veterinary equivalence agreement (possible item).
• Quality feet promotion (possible item).
• Apple, pear, peach and nectarine tree grubbing up scheme (possible item).
• Hops (possible item).
• Farm Accountancy Data Network (possible item).
• Italian state aid for co-operatives (possible item).
• Export refund/animal welfare linkage (possible item).
• Pesticide maximum residue levels (possible item).
• Hormones—WTO panel (possible item).
• Potato brown rot (possible item).
• June 26: Education Council}
• Adoption of a common position on a Commission proposal to increase the budget of the SOCRATES education programme.
• Adoption of Council Conclusions on safety at school.
• Adoption of Council Conclusions on information and communications technology (ICT) and teacher training.
• Adoption of Council Conclusions on the Commission White Paper "Teaching and Learning: Towards the Learning Society".
• Commission presentation on a forthcoming draft Recommendation on quality assurance in higher education.
• Open Ministerial debate on the Commission Green Paper on Barriers to Student, Trainee and Researcher Mobility.
• Discussion of a Dutch paper on regional languages.
• Discussion of socio-economic research under the new 5th Research and Development Framework Programme.
• June 26: General Affairs Council
• First draft agenda—likely to change.
• Follow-up to the European Council at Amsterdam.
• Former Yugoslavia.
• Middle East Peace Process.
• Relations with Andorra.
• Mediterranean Policy.
• Relations with Albania.
• Relations with Yemen.
• Relations with Turkmenistan.
• Relations with Switzerland.
• June 26: Energy Council
• Agenda not yet known.
• June 27: Telecommunications Council
• Commission communication on a European Union Action Plan for satellite communications in the Information Society: Council conclusions.
• Commission communication regarding the consultation on the Green Paper on a Numbering Policy for Telecommunications Services in Europe: Council resolution.
• Proposal for a Council and European Parliament Directive on communications terminal equipment: orientation debate.
• Commission communication on progress in implementing the telecommunications regulatory framework by I January 1998: Commission report and exchange of views.
• Commission communication on further developments in mobile and cordless communications in Europe: Commission presentation.
• June 30: Culture Council
• Agenda not yet known.

This calendar is primarily concerned with European Union matters, but certain other relevant events are also included. Events and dates quoted are based on the information available on the date of issue.